LIFE KI TOH LAG GAYI is a typical Bambaiya story. Set in Mumbai, director Rakesh Mehta portrays four stories which finally merge into one at the climax. Mehta infuses the elements of love, lust, revenge and ambition. But what is sorely missing is an item number that could have jazzed it up a bit. Considering the setting is in Mumbai, there were opportunities galore to pump up the tempo. Importantly, it has good music that sets the mood of the movie. The rock ballads may not be remembered once you leave the theatre, but it does mesmerize when it's playing during the situation on screen. I would say a good opportunity lost here.

LKTLG is a story about four people. Salman (Kay Kay Menon) is a builder who is in search of those who killed his parents. ACP Chautala (Manu Rishi Chadha) is a tough cop who is a Mama's boy. He has the unenviable task of tracking down drug peddlers within 24 hours. Amol Ganguly (Ranvir Shorey) has been jilted in love. He rushes from the UK where he is working as a chef to 'rescue' his girlfriend. He later realizes that he has been ditched. Finally there is Dolly (Neha Bhasin) who has run away from Chandigarh to make it big in Bollywood. Once here, she realizes she has been conned and refuses to go back until she gets even. There's also Pradhuman Singh, Shakti Kapoor and Asrani. All three are weak links in the plot that actually take away any intensity that the film is trying to build up.

Recently we have had CHAALIS CHAURASI, a typical masala film that spans 24 hours and a few years ago there was EK CHAALIS KI LAST LOCAL. While the Box Office may not have been rattled, these two films were different in their content, and approach. LKTLG too is different from the two (although it spans 24 hours), but the weak links play a spoil sport. Apart from the three mentioned earlier, the track between Neha and the hotel manager and later at a gambling table are contrived. In fact, Neha fails to put soul into her role which could have made a huge difference to the film. Ranvir Shorey, too is a letdown. There's no conviction in his approach to the role as a jilted lover. Pradhuman's forced lunacy too is a disaster.

Manu Rishi Chadha and Kay Kay Menon are the only two who pump in that desired intensity. As a bumbling cop who falls back on his mother's advice every time he is in a soup, he is fantastic. Even though his mother is just a voice at the other end of the telephone, Mehta manages to convert her into a looming character. Pity he could not do the same with some real characters!

Casting has let the film down big time and that is very disappointing because this film had the potential to make an impact.